Aedes aegypti mosquito populations are growing, with the National Environment Agency (NEA) reporting that about 40% more of these pesky insects (which also transmit Zika and Chikungunya) were detected in December 2018 as compared to December 2017.

With Chinese New Year approaching, the NEA has made a list of recommendations for the general public, encouraging them to exercise constant vigilance during spring cleaning to avoid unintentionally creating more mozzie breeding habitats. Some of these strategies include:

Covering or removing sources of stagnant water

Adding sand granular pesticides to areas where stagnant water cannot be removed

Change water in flower vases or decorative plants on alternate days

Severe cases of dengue may be fatal, with 5 reported dengue-related deaths in 2018 alone. If you exhibit any of the common symptoms of dengue, such as a high fever, rashes, muscle and joint pains, and nausea or vomiting, please seek medical attention as soon as possible.